Barristers provide specialist legal advice to individuals and businesses. They may also represent their clients in the courts of law.
To work in barrister jobs, it is necessary to complete academic and vocational training. Barristers require an approved first degree in law or a postgraduate law qualification, such as a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). At least two A levels and five GCSEs are required to enter onto degree courses.
Following graduating, barristers must take a Bar Vocational Course (BVC), which teaches practical skills. In order to take a BVC, it is necessary to become a member of one of the Inns of Court. Following completing a BVC, barriers enter into a period of training called a pupillage, which involves spending time working alongside, and training with, experienced barristers and other legal staff.
The majority of trained barristers are self-employed, with only a small number working as salaried employees for specialist law firms, government bodies and investment companies.
Barrister jobs are typically found in large cities and towns with courts. Employment openings may be advertised through specialist publications and recruitment agencies. Competition for barrister jobs is intense, and all barristers must show a high level of academic ability, excellent communication skills, and an ability to think logically.
Salaries for barristers vary considerably, depending on experience and reputation. With experience, a barrister may become a High Court judge or a King’s Counsel (KC). Both roles involve taking on more complex legal cases.